On Wednesday night, October 2, a group of 27 young group from Tuinbouw Jongeren Westland (TJW) near for a knowledge travel to Portugal led by Meghan Lagerwerf, Jim Schoenmaker, and Rick van Schie from nan board.
Company visits
The first extremity was Citrina, a British family institution that has been operating successful Portugal since 1980 pinch 30 hectares of citrus plants by now. Here, nan participants received a guided tour. The company's processes scope from germination and grafting to trimming nan plants. The institution distinguishes itself by increasing a compact works successful cookware size 12 and introducing caller varieties. Due to nan mean h2o value successful nan area, they usage reverse osmosis. More than 99% of nan plants are sold done their location successful Aalsmeer, because of nan bully distribution possibilities. This is besides wherever nan income squad is based.
After a luncheon of Portuguese specialties, nan group near for Buijnink International, a family-owned institution that has developed from 9 to 300 hectares of eucalyptus. The institution is readying to grow by different 300 hectares. With ever-increasing rates and captious readiness of h2o from nan reservoir that supplies nan full surrounding region pinch caller water, nan family is investing successful ample h2o basins to build its information pinch h2o availability. In periods of drought, ornamental works growers are 1 of nan first to beryllium restricted successful h2o readiness from nan reservoir pinch existent laws and regulations.
A varied programme
Day 2 kicked disconnected pinch a sojourn to nan Portuguese branch of AltaNova, which grows Mandevilla & Heatherberry, among others. Here, they utilized a section residual travel namely granules of oliva kernels to occurrence nan bio stove.
Next, nan group visited Amigo Plant, specializing successful succulents, wherever they saw nan cultivation process of succulents. The area's ambiance is favorable for increasing them. The installation is located little than a kilometer from nan Atlantic Ocean which makes it cool astatine nighttime this ensures that nan succulents are hardened off.
The adjacent destination was Frestia, wherever nan group was welcomed by 2 of nan company's Dutch owners. With a modern 19-hectare greenhouse for snack peppers and mini cherry tomatoes, Frestia is among nan astir modern horticultural producers successful confederate Europe. Challenges specified arsenic labour migration and h2o guidance were discussed during nan presentation. The time ended pinch meal astatine a adjacent restaurant.
Rounding disconnected nan trip
The last time started pinch a sojourn to Florensis, which focuses connected nan accumulation of unrooted Calibrachoa and Sedum cuttings. Due to EU import restrictions, Calibrachoa cuttings are not grown successful Africa wherever Florensis is besides based but successful Portugal.
The programme continued astatine Hortensia master Sjaak van Schie B.V., pinch a circuit of nan greenhouses, outdoor field, and nan astir one-hectare acold shop constructed successful 2021. The institution is besides based successful nan Netherlands. However, nan superior logic for establishing a installation present is because of nan sun. Thanks to nan Mediterranean climate, works deliveries tin beryllium dispersed amended complete nan year, truthful overmuch truthful that year-round transportation is possible.
The travel ended pinch a taste bicycle circuit of Lisbon, aft which nan group returned to Westland. It was an inspiring and acquisition acquisition for each participants, during which they gained caller insights into world horticulture.
TJW is organizing an overseas excursion for nan first clip successful years. Where nan adjacent travel will go, they don't cognize yet, but that location will beryllium a sequel is evident indicates Jim. "Organizing a travel for illustration this takes a agelong preparation, but nan bully feedback from nan members and nan affirmative feedback from nan companies aft nan visits gives nan power to deliberation further astir a destination for 2025," he says. In immoderate case, connected nan measurement backmost location was already engaged speculating astir nan destination of nan adjacent trip."
TJW besides precocious made a trip, to Denmark. Read backmost their study present (in Dutch).
For much information:
Tuinbouw Jongeren Westland
www.tuinbouwjongeren.nl/